Unlikely Heroes
by RachelChrisFan
Summary: When some super villains begin to terrorize the people of Port Charles, some unlikely heroes come to the rescue. Features of the PC Cast and a few blasts from the past.
1. Chapter One

Lucy sat in the park with Danny while Christina played on the swings. She smiled with happiness as she watched her daughter pretend to fly in the clouds while Danny squealed with delight, clapping his hands as he watched Christina play. Things were finally starting to become perfect in her life. It had taken so long for things to finally be this way, but now, the universe had spoken and life was really good...if only she could find Kevin.  
  
Danny caught her attention with a sudden outburst of giggles. She focused on the small boy, listening as he clapped his hands together and following his gaze to a butterfly which had chosen to land upon the toe of his shoe. She smiled as she touched his hair gently.  
  
Lucy raised her eyes towards the swings, thinking to see Christina there. Instead, she was greeted with only the sight of an empty swing jostling in the wind, "Christina!"  
  
She stood quickly, holding Danny in her arms as she rushed towards the swings, "Christina! Christina, you're scaring Mommy! Come out!"  
  
Lucy felt all the fear of a previous episode in her life, memories of her child going missing flooding her mind. She clenched Danny to her as she raced around the park, "Christina!"  
  
She rushed out to the sidewalk, glancing out at the roadway as cars zoomed by. Lucy never felt the tears sliding down her cheeks as she ran down the sidewalk, "Christina!"  
  
Suddenly, she heard the sound of a car horn blaring loudly behind her. Lucy spun on her heel, just in time to see the car bearing down on a small child standing in the roadway.  
  
Lucy watched as Christina stared at the car, watching the big metal beast bearing down on her. Lucy's heart leapt into her throat as the car's tires began to screech, gray smoke emerging from the asphalt while Christina stood motionless in the vehicle's path.  
  
"Christina!" Lucy cried out, hoping to jar the child out of her trance like state.  
  
Suddenly, Christina's small body was swept from the road and placed delicately on the sidewalk beside Lucy. Christina smiled brightly and clapped her hands before Lucy wrapped the little girl in her arms.  
  
"Christina!" Lucy shouted as she hugged Christina to her tightly, Danny getting smushed in the mix.  
  
"Mommy, you're squeezing too hard," Christina said gently before she squirmed from Lucy's arms, turned and looked around. She frowned, "Where did she go?"  
  
"Where did who go?" Lucy asked, desperately holding onto her little girl as she attempted to determine that she was okay.  
  
"Mommy."  
  
"I'm right here, Sweetie," Lucy explained as she smoothed Christina's hair, "I'm right here," She swept Christina back into her arms and held her tightly.  
  
Christina looked into the distance and smiled as she caught sight of her savior. Her smile widened as she waved to her hero.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chris walked into the emergency room, sipping on a cup of coffee he'd picked up on his way to work. While it couldn't be called truly digestible, it was at least non-toxic and it had enough caffeine in its dark fluid depths to sustain an army of buffalo. That was exactly what he needed due to his breakneck schedule at GH and the unavoidable sexual marathon with Doree.  
  
Doree. While she had started out as fun, he was beginning to feel like she was more of a job than his work at GH. Her demands were growing more and more rigorous, and her desire seemingly more and more insatiable. While it sounded a lot like paradise, Chris was finding out with every passing day that sometimes paradise came with a hefty price to pay.  
  
Karen glanced up from the computer screen and spotted Chris making his entrance to the hospital. She groaned slightly as she turned away from him, hoping he wouldn't be able to spot the wound she had sustained in her latest altercation with Frank. If there was anyone who would make a big deal out of it, it would be Chris. Unfortunately for Karen, Chris was more observant than even she gave him credit for.  
  
"So, that shiner.courtesy of Frank Scanlon?" Chris asked as he leaned against the admissions desk.  
  
"It's none of your business, Chris," Karen said sharply as she attempted to go back to her work.  
  
"That kind of violence is everyone's business, Karen."  
  
"No, it's really not," She said quickly as she picked up a file and stepped down the hall.  
  
Chris followed behind her and continued, "What was it this time? Just deciding that he would up the ante?"  
  
"Chris, you don't know what you're talking about. Just drop it," She spoke as she stepped into an elevator.  
  
He stepped in beside her and studied her face, "Karen, look, I know we've been through some rough stuff in the past. But we do have something in common. We both lost our best friend in Eve. We don't have someone like that to turn to now. So why don't you let me do my one good deed this year and do something that Eve would want me to do? Let me help you."  
  
"Why? So you can do something horrible to Frank and not feel guilty for it?" She accused quickly, "Don't think you can just make excuses and drag Eve into this solely for the purpose of making Frank miserable. I won't let you use me or Eve's memory as pawns in one of your twisted schemes."  
  
"This isn't about any scheme, Karen. Frank is out of control, and this," He lifted his fingers to point to her black eye, "Is proof of it."  
  
"He's just going through a rough time, right now. That's all. It's really nothing."  
  
"Karen, it's not nothing. You're a doctor. You see victims of domestic violence all the time. How can you just say that it's nothing?"  
  
"It's not like that, Chris," Karen assured him, "Look, this is really none of your business."  
  
"Karen," Chris took her arm gently before he pressed the stop button on the elevator, "Look, you need to face some facts. Frank Scanlon has went around the bend. If you're not going to take my word for it, go ask Ian how he feels about a man who would do this to a woman. Do you really think he's going to say yes you should give Frank a second chance?" He paused, "Listen, when I'm encouraging you to seek advice from Ian, that means I'm fairly serious about what I'm saying," He point out to which Karen acknowledged with a slight smile, "Don't let this get any worse, Karen."  
  
"It's not that easy, Chris. I love him, and he loves me."  
  
"If he really loved you, he never would have deliberately hurt you like this," Chris pointed out, "Trust me. I know about hurting people, and you don't set out to hurt those you care about. In fact, you do everything in your power to avoid it."  
  
Karen nodded tearfully before Chris nudged the elevator button to resume movement.  
  
"If you need anything, you know my number. Eve would tell you that I'm not trustworthy except in a few notable situations.and this is one of them," He touched her arm gently, "She wouldn't want to see you hurt, and to be honest, neither do I."  
  
Karen nodded as the doors opened to the sixth floor, "Thank you, Chris. I'll think about what you said."  
  
"That's all I ask," He gave her an encouraging smile before he stepped off the elevator and went on his way to start his work day.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Livvie stood at the corner of the Pink Rose, eyeing the building closely. It was the largest source of tension for her these days. Jack had turned against her, her father was missing and presumed dead, and now she was alone. There was nothing left for her in Port Charles.nothing but revenge.  
  
She looked to the can at her feet and smiled. She was going to destroy everything that Alison held dear. She would make Alison feel just what real loss felt like. Her father deserved at least that much in return for everything he had done to help her in her struggles over the last few years.  
  
She stepped away from the barn and removed a pack of matches from her pocket. She tore one from the pack before turning over the pack to strike the match. She held the flickering match in her hand for a moment before dropping it on the ground. The match ignited a trail of gasoline that led directly into the barn.  
  
The flames licked across the ground and leapt into the waiting barn. Livvie smiled as she watched the orange talons spread across the barn floor, reaching for any edible prey that could be consumed by the fire. The fire cracked and popped as it continued to devour the barn.  
  
Livvie reached out to feel the warmth of the raging fire before her. She closed her eyes and relished the heat, knowing that she had won the real battle against Alison and Rebecca. She lost herself in her moment of victory, oblivious to a large beam as it collapsed in the fire and swung towards her.  
  
The beam struck Livvie in the head, sending her to the ground in an unconscious heap. While she lay upon the ground with blood seeping from the wound on her head, the ravenous fire crept around her, drawing her into its heated clutches and offering her the permanent heat of its domain.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ian sat back in his seat, thumbing through a photo album that Eve had put together for Danny. He saw the happiness in Eve's eyes, the love for her son, and the pleasure she derived in simply being with him. It was a feeling he envied, a feeling he had never been able to experience, a feeling he would kill for.  
  
He sighed once more before he closed the photo album and tossed it into the box before him. He placed the top on the box and stood, switching off the lights of the loft and glancing around at the now dark apartment. Life was over here. He had to find a new life to begin.  
  
Ian left the loft and made his way downstairs to his storage unit. He unlocked the small cage and stepped inside, placing the box on the top of a stack before him. He surveyed the boxes before him, each one having belonged to a special woman in his life. Now, they were all memories, their essence confined to the simplicity of a cardboard box.  
  
He locked his storage unit and made his way back to the Lighthouse, hopeful to start a new life with Danny and find a way to move on.perhaps by helping Lucy move on with hers.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chris made his way into his apartment after a long day at GH. Too many strange things were going on around Port Charles these days. He was really looking forward to just enjoying a dry martini and sitting back to maybe watch a good action movie on HBO. He took off his jacket and tossed it into an empty chair before discarding his keys upon the coffee table. He groaned as he made his way towards the bar.  
  
"Looking for one of these?"  
  
Chris paused and closed his eyes. That voice was one he was all to familiar with nowadays. He opened his eyes and turned to face Doree.  
  
Doree smiled as she sat back on the sofa. She held a martini in her hand, wearing nothing but her smile, "Why don't come over here and have this drink?"  
  
"Doree, it's been a really long day," Chris sighed as he sank his hands into his pockets.  
  
"Well, I can't think of anything better than for you to sit down here, and let me take care of you," She smiled as she made her way over to him. She placed the martini into his hand. She directed him towards the sofa and helped him to sit down. She sat behind him and began to gently rub his shoulders, "You're so tense, Chris. We really need to help you relax."  
  
"It's been a long day. All I want to do is sit back, relax, enjoy this martini and rest tonight," He explained as he closed his eyes, "You have a great technique with your hands."  
  
"You should know that by now," She smiled as she pressed a kiss to his neck, "But I'll give you a proper reminder."  
  
"Doree, I really just want to rest tonight."  
  
"You'll get plenty of rest, Chris," Doree whispered as she removed his tie and continued to nibble on his neck, "I'll make sure you do because I'm going to find a way to make sure you use all your energy."  
  
"Doree, really, I don't think tonight would be," He was interrupted as Doree's lips closed upon his own. He sighed as he stopped trying to fight her, knowing that trying to dissuade Doree would use more energy than he could spare because in the end, she would have her way.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Karen stepped inside her apartment and groaned as she thought of how her life was falling apart. Life had been perfect with Frank, they were so close to finding their happiness, but now things were so far from perfect that she wasn't sure they could ever be fixed.  
  
She made her way to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Deciding that there was nothing she wanted at the moment, she closed the door and turned around. She gasped as she saw Frank's figure emerge from the shadows. She placed her hand over her chest and sighed, "You scared me."  
  
"We need to talk," Frank said tersely as he approached her.  
  
"Yes we do. We need to talk about a lot of things, Frank," She agreed as she stepped towards him.  
  
"I saw you with him, Karen," He said with disgust as he seized her arms in his strong hands. He drug her to him roughly, "I saw you smiling at him like a whore."  
  
"Frank," She winced as his grip upon her arms tightened, "Frank, you're hurting me."  
  
"You think you can make a fool out of me and I'll just let you? Think again," He shouted as he hit her with the back of his hand.  
  
Karen went limp in his arms from the shock of his blow. She tried to recover but failed as he began to shake her violently.  
  
"I won't let you screw around with Ramsey and every other loser in town just to spite me," He shouted as he shoved her across the room.  
  
Karen fell upon the table, losing her breath as the corner of the table jabbed her in the stomach. She pushed herself off the table and looked towards him as he approached her, "Frank, please, stop this."  
  
"Don't try begging for forgiveness now, Karen. You should have thought about that before you started screwing around with all those other men," He raised his voice as he moved towards her quickly.  
  
Karen quickly slipped out onto the patio and tried to close the door between them. The door closed against Frank's arm, causing him to cry out in pain before he shoved the door open and continued after her. He made his way towards her again, his eyes blazing with fury.  
  
Karen cringed in fear as she saw the dangerous intent in his eyes. She cried as she raised her hand, "Frank, please, please don't do this."  
  
Frank grabbed her arm and hauled her upwards, drawing back his fist to deliver a powerful blow.  
  
Suddenly, a figure swept out of the darkness and tackled Frank onto the ground. Karen fell to the ground, trembling in relief that she had been spared from the power of Frank's fist.  
  
The mysterious figure wrestled with Frank for a moment. Fists began to fly, each figure delivering powerful blows before the dark figure wrested Frank's arms behind his backs and secured his wrists with handcuffs.  
  
After Frank was subdued, the figure moved to check on Karen. As Karen's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she focused on the figure in front of her. She could tell the figure belonged to that of a man, a strong and powerful man from the look of things before her. She focused upon his eyes, seeing dark and mysterious eyes before her. His spotted mask hid his face from her but his eyes drew her in.  
  
"Will you be okay?"  
  
Karen blinked as she felt a familiarity with the figure before her. She looked into his eyes and saw something she thought the recognized. Unable to reply verbally, she nodded.  
  
"The police are on their way. They'll take care of him and they'll take care of you." He touched her cheek softly, "You don't have to be afraid anymore."  
  
She nodded, "For some reason, I'm not."  
  
Sirens grew closer to the apartment building causing the mysterious figure to look around quickly. He stood and quickly leapt into the darkness.  
  
Karen stood and looked around for any signs of her savior. She had no idea who the masked man had been or how he had known she needed his intervention. She only knew that she was grateful for his presence.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I can't believe the barn is gone," Alison said tearfully as Jack escorted her into the Lighthouse, "Rebecca is gone, Kevin is gone, and now I'll never be able to be close to Rafe again."  
  
"What happened?" Lucy asked as she made her way across the living room to meet with them.  
  
"The barn burned down today. The fire department said it looked suspicious, but they wouldn't know for a while if it was arson or just an accident," Jack explained.  
  
"The barn..but the portrait.." Lucy gasped.  
  
"It's gone," Alison cried, "It's all gone."  
  
"Oh Alison," Lucy placed her arms around the young girl, "I'm so sorry."  
  
"What's wrong?" Ian asked as he stepped inside the Lighthouse with a package.  
  
"The barn is gone," Jack repeated the story, "So is the portrait."  
  
"No, it's not," Ian explained as he placed the package down. He unzipped the leather case and withdrew the portrait, "I have a friend who does restorations of old portraits. So I thought it would be best to have the painting restored since Alison thought it held the answer to finding Kevin."  
  
"Rebecca," Alison called out as she spotted the portrait. She rushed out of Lucy's arms and lightly ran her fingers over the portrait, "Rebecca, you're okay. Oh Ian," She looked to him, "I owe you so much."  
  
"You don't owe me for anything. Let's just hope that the portrait does have the answer to finding Kevin," Ian said softly as his gaze turned to Lucy who looked to him with gratitude and hope in her eyes.  
  
Upstairs the sound of Danny's crying alerted them all to the end of his quick nap. Ian turned and made his way up the stairs to attend to his son. He opened the door to the nursery and stepped inside, seeing Danny now laughing as he looked to the open French doors.  
  
Danny smiled as he pointed to the doors, a happiness in his eyes that Ian hadn't seen in months. Ian paused as he felt a chill run over his neck. He turned and looked around as Lucy stood in the doorway.  
  
"Ian, what's wrong?" Lucy asked softly as she looked to Danny then back to Ian.  
  
"Someone was here," Ian spoke as he turned back to his son.  
  
"No one could have been in here. We would have known," Lucy explained as she moved to the French doors and closed them.  
  
Danny suddenly burst into tears before Ian lifted the boy from the crib. Ian soothed him softly as he looked to Lucy, "I don't know why or who, but someone was here. I felt it. I'm worried, Lucy. I'm afraid that things in Port Charles are about to change, and I don't think that change is for the better," He spoke as he held his son closely, soothing the small child's cries while trying to calm his own discomfort. 


	2. Chapter Two

The warm morning light began to creep into the darkness of the bedroom. The light within the room grew as each ray of light expanded in the room, bringing with it morning and the start of a new day. Chris didn't want to wake up. He simply wanted to rest and fight off his exhaustion by spending the day in bed sleeping.  
  
Unfortunately, the alarm clock had other ideas for him as its incessant buzzing interrupted his peaceful thoughts. He reached over and smacked the alarm clock without opening his eyes. He settled back into his pillow and sighed. Why couldn't he just call in sick today? It would be simple enough. A late flu bug was making its way through Port Charles, and he had definitely been exposed enough since the victims had began flooding the ER two weeks ago. So why couldn't he just will himself to make the call?  
  
Perhaps it was because he knew that it was the one place where he was actually needed. General Hospital was severely understaffed and since Eve's death, the problem only seemed to grow exponentially. Chris was one of the few doctors who had taken the added shifts and worked almost triple their normal workload. His body was crying out for rest, but something inside him wouldn't let him shirk this particular responsibility. Medicine was the one thing he had left in his life, the one thing that had never let him down and never abandoned him.  
  
He yawned slightly and kept his eyes closed, enjoying the quiet of the early morning. He knew that he was alone and relished in the knowledge. Doree never stuck around for the mornings, and it was one element of their association that Chris was grateful for. He hadn't really wanted her around last night, much less this morning. He only wanted to enjoy the peace and quiet that seemed to envelope him at the moment.  
  
Quiet mornings had always been one of Chris' favorite things. He had taken great pleasure in waking up before Julie and simply watching her sleep beside him for hours on end. It was a simple pleasure, only amplified by her soft warm body cradled almost naturally against his own. Even after all the time that had past, he still missed her with a great sadness in his heart.  
  
He could almost feel her here now. Her warm breath against his chest as she slept, her body curled against him with her hand rested softly upon his chest. He could hear her quiet and steady breathing as he squeezed her form against him.  
  
It was then that his eyes shot open. He looked around, but there was no one in the room with him. Yet he still felt the warm presence by his side. He didn't know quite what to do, afraid that he had finally lost his mind after all the months of waking up alone.  
  
Yet there was a definite presence with a soft body pressed against his own. Was his mind completely gone or was the presence real? He closed his eyes and tried to calm the pounding of his heart. The presence moved softly before he felt the cool absence in the sheets beside him.  
  
Chris opened his eyes once again and looked around. He felt the sheets beside him and sighed as he felt the warmth beneath his hands. It had been real. Perhaps all the strange happening in Port Charles were now invading his own house.  
  
"I think I've finally lost it," He groaned as he got out of bed and made his way to his the shower, hoping to clear the early morning cobwebs from his head.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Livvie's body ached, her entire being felt as if she would explode with heat. She struggled with her body's pains, trying to sit up to find out what had happened and where she might be.  
  
"Shhh," A voice spoke to her as a cool cloth was placed on her forehead.  
  
Livvie relaxed into the cool dampness of the material. As she stopped fighting her surroundings, she realized that her entire body was covered in cool damp clothes. She let out a slow breathe as her body's aches decreased in intensity.  
  
"Where..am I?" She managed to murmur while restricting her own movements as much as possible, hoping the lack of movement would reduce her pain.  
  
"You're somewhere safe. Don't worry. I'm going to take good care of you," The voice spoke softly, continuing to administer cool bandages over her body.  
  
Livvie had neither the strength nor the desire to move from her position. She inhaled slowly and concentrated on the coolness surrounding her body. She wasn't sure what had happened. She only knew that she was at the mercy of whomever the voice belonged to and grateful for their attendance to her wounds.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Karen sat in the corner of the on-call room with a cup of warm tea in her hands. She looked out the window and thought of the events of the previous night. How had the masked man known she was in danger? Where had he come from? More than that, who was the man behind the mask?  
  
She sighed as she closed her tired eyes and leaned back against the wall. She wanted to cry but she had cried all her tears last night. She wanted to scream, but she didn't have the energy. She wanted Frank back, to help him, to make things wonderful again, but she didn't think it was possible.  
  
Ian stepped into the on-call room and paused as he saw Karen sitting in the window. He made his way towards her slowly, "Karen, are you all right?"  
  
"Not really," She spoke softly as she glanced in his direction. She directed her gaze back to the scenery outside the window.  
  
"I heard about Frank," He said as he pulled a chair to sit beside her, "I'm sorry."  
  
"So am I," She said as she closed her eyes once more, "How did things get so screwed up? Life seemed like it was finally beginning to work out. We had it all. Then we lost Eve, Frank started acting bizarre," She sighed, "Everything fell apart, and I don't even know how it happened."  
  
"It did seem to happen that way, didn't it?" Ian frowned, "Things started to look as if they might work out and then," He shrugged and sighed, "But we can't go back."  
  
"I wish we could," Karen opened her eyes, trying to contain her tears, "I miss Eve, and I miss Frank. I don't understand how I could lose everyone that I love so quickly."  
  
"There are still lots of people around here that care about you," Ian pointed out, "I count myself as one of them."  
  
She smiled, "I'm thankful that you're here, Ian. I appreciate it, especially with everything you must be going through with Danny. Has there been any news about Kevin?"  
  
"None, but Lucy's keeping the faith. She refuses to give up on him."  
  
"After everything they've been through, I guess Lucy never would give up on him," Karen spoke with a pain in her voice as she looked back out the window.  
  
Ian watched her for a moment, "Is that what's really bothering you?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Do you feel like you're giving up on Frank?"  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
"Karen, come here. I want to show you something," Ian nodded as he stood and made his way to the Chief Resident's office. Karen reluctantly followed him inside before he closed the door. He escorted her to a mirror and stood beside her, "I want you to take a long look at the woman standing there and tell me what you see.from an objective medical point of view."  
  
Karen looked away with a frown.  
  
"I'll tell you what I see. I see a very strong woman who had tried her best to stand by the man that she loved. I also see a woman who has been abused. She doesn't want to see it, but it's there," He turned her to look at him, "You're not giving up on Frank. He gave up on you. Don't make this your fault, Karen, because it isn't. You can't blame yourself for his problems. It'll only make you more miserable, and it won't be doing him any good at all."  
  
Her shoulders slumped in defeat, "But I lose every man that I love. It has to be something wrong with me, Ian."  
  
"There is nothing wrong with you, Karen," He touched her cheek, "You are a beautiful and very intelligent woman. Any man would be lucky to have you in his life. You just haven't found one who's worth your time and effort yet."  
  
"I don't think there is one out there for me. I only seem to make people miserable."  
  
"Hey, I'm not miserable, and here we are spending time together," He pointed out, "I think you're selling yourself much too short."  
  
"It just feels like I'm so alone in the world."  
  
"It feels that way for all of us from time to time. We just have to find a way to get past it. And I have to believe that we can get past it."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because if I gave up that belief, what would be the point in living another day?"  
  
She nodded, "I see your point."  
  
"So why don't we go out and get some breakfast? My treat. We'll drown our miseries in some eggs and toast."  
  
Karen smiled, "Sure, why not?"  
  
Ian smiled as he opened the door for her and escorted her from the office, hoping to determine a new path in his own life.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Alison stared at the portrait as she sat in the Lighthouse. She had tried to speak with Rebecca numerous times through the night with no results. She was frustrated, upset, and more than a little tired. She rubbed her tired eyes and sighed before a cup of steaming tea was held out to her.  
  
Lucy smiled at the younger woman as Alison took the cup from her hands, "How late were you up?"  
  
"I still haven't gone to bed," Alison admitted as she sipped the tea, "I wanted Rebecca to speak with me, but it's like she's not there anymore."  
  
"She's there," Lucy said with determination, "And I know my Doc is too. We just have to find them. And we will, Doc," She spoke as she closed her eyes, "We will find you."  
  
"It's a question of whether he wants to be found," Rebecca said as she emerged from the portrait.  
  
"Rebecca," Alison said excitedly as she stood, "Where is Kevin?"  
  
"He's safe," Rebecca spoke as she smiled at her descendent, "He's quite content actually."  
  
"Where is he?" Lucy asked as she stepped forward to meet Rebecca's eyes, "Where is my husband?"  
  
"Kevin is perfectly safe where he is. You needn't worry about him."  
  
"Where is he? Why won't you tell us where he is?" Lucy asked with urgency.  
  
Rebecca dismissed Lucy with a look before focusing upon Alison, "You've closed the candle shop. Why?"  
  
"Because Kevin has gone missing, and there's no explanation. Nana Becca, what happened to him?" Alison asked softly.  
  
"Kevin is my guest for the moment, and he's enjoying himself. I promise you that no harm will come to him," Rebecca replied softly, "But you must open the candle shop again, Alison."  
  
"Why?" Alison asked as she searched her ancestor's eyes.  
  
"Because it's important that we continue our work, Alison. You must feel the need to return to the work," Rebecca spoke softly as she beseeched Alison, "You have to return to the shop and make more candles."  
  
Alison shook her head, "No, I can't do that. Not while Kevin is still missing."  
  
Rebecca raised her head and straightened her spine, "I've told you that Kevin is safe."  
  
"I know you did, and I'm thankful that you have taken good care of him," Alison explained, "But I really need for Kevin to return to Port Charles. The police think I killed him, and they're going to put me on trial for murder."  
  
"But no one is dead," Rebecca pointed out.  
  
"I know that, and you know that," Alison sighed, "But it's just like what happened to you all those years ago. They want me to pay for something I didn't do, and the only way I can prove that is if you return Kevin to Port Charles."  
  
Rebecca turned and focused her attention on Lucy, "You have to convince these people that Alison has done nothing wrong."  
  
"That's what I'm trying to do, but I want my husband returned to me. I love him, and I need him," Lucy urged Rebecca, "Please, just return my husband to me."  
  
Rebecca snorted, "You don't need him. You don't know what true need is. But soon, this entire town will know what real need is all about. I'll make sure of that."  
  
"Rebecca, what are you going to do?" Lucy asked as she followed Rebecca towards the portrait.  
  
"I'm going to make sure all of you understand that my candles were not meant to harm you. But you'll soon see just what kind of magic I can unleash," Rebecca said in anger before she returned to the portrait.  
  
"Becca!" Alison shouted in dismay as she watched the portrait return to normal. She looked to Lucy whose features were shadowed in fear, "Lucy?"  
  
"I don't know what she's done to my Doc," Lucy wrapped her arms around herself, "But I don't have a good feeling about this, Alison. I don't have a good feeling at all."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Jack made his way across the Port Charles Mall, having made himself available to run errands for Lucy. He didn't have much else to do. Since he and Livvie had broken up, he didn't have to spend as much time keeping up with her. Things at the bike shop had been quiet lately allowing him time to help Lucy and Alison with their respective problems.  
  
He walked across the courtyard, passing the fountains and smiling as he watched kids pitching coins into the water. He stopped as a rumbling noise garnered his attention. He turned and looked around, hoping to find some sign of where the noise came from.  
  
Dozens of teenagers filled the area, running throughout the courtyard. They turned over garbage cans, danced in the fountains, and harassing shoppers in their wake. A woman screamed as a small group of teenagers ripped her bags from her and began tearing at her clothes.  
  
Jack had seen enough. He made his way over to the woman, seizing one boy by the shirt before shoving him away. He shoved another few boys aside before the woman was free of her attackers.  
  
"What is going on here?" The woman shrieked as she latched onto Jack's jacket.  
  
"I don't know. It's like they've all gone crazy," Jack frowned as he held onto the woman.  
  
The teenagers separated as a young man in leather walked down an aisle formed between them. The young man wore sunglasses and a leather duster he made his way between the rabble, "Excellent work, but the fun has just begun!"  
  
"Guess again."  
  
The voice interrupted the teenagers and their leader as they turned. Jack and the young woman took a step back as they looked to the source of the voice as well.  
  
Two women stood at the mall's entrance. Both women wore masks, keeping them from being identified. Each woman was clad in tight colored leather. One woman wore a creamy green color, reminiscent of a sparkling gem. Her hair flowed in long auburn tendrils about her as her body expressed power and confidence. The other woman wore a vibrant blue outfit, her auburn hair dancing about her like colored mask while she too exuded confidence and power.  
  
"Well, what do we have here?" The leather clad young man spoke as he stared at the women.  
  
"We're not going to let you terrorize these people," The woman in green spoke.  
  
"And you think you can stop me?" The young man asked as he stepped forward.  
  
"We know we can," The woman in blue said sharply before moving towards the man.  
  
The teenagers raced forward, engaging the two women in a desperate fight. Fists began to fly, the limp defeated bodies of teenagers piling upon the ground. The two women fought their way through the crowd and stood in the midst of the courtyard alone.  
  
Jack looked around, seeing the mass of defeated teens in the ladies wake. He stepped forward as the two women discovered the leader of the mass had left.  
  
"Who are you?" Jack asked softly as he approached the women.  
  
The women looked to each other before speaking.  
  
"My name is Sapphire," The woman in blue said softly.  
  
"And I am Jade," The woman in green said as she lightly broke a smile through her mask.  
  
"How?" Jack asked as he looked around at the group of fallen teens around them.  
  
"It's a kind of magic," Jade said with a smile before she and Sapphire rose from the ground. The two women slowly ascended into the sky before disappearing into the distance.  
  
Jack gasped as he stood in disbelief, not quite sure if he had seen what he had really seen or not. The group of stunned teens laying upon the ground affirmed his memories of what had just transpired, but he was quite sure that he would never be able to explain what he had just witnessed. 


	3. Chapter Three

Jack stepped into the Lighthouse and made his way to the downstairs den where Lucy and Alison sat studying newspaper clippings. He paused as the women refocused their attention on him.  
  
"Jack, are you okay? You look a little pale," Lucy said as she stood, "Is something wrong? What happened?"  
  
"I don't even know where to begin. I just saw the strangest thing," Jack said as he approached the two of them, "I saw two women wearing leather kick the crap out of about two dozen teenagers before flying off into the sky."  
  
Lucy looked back to Alison before escorting him to the sofa, "Why don't you sit down?"  
  
"They swooped in and started beating the crap out of these hoodlums. It was strange."  
  
Alison watched Jack closely, "Are you serious?"  
  
"I know it sounds crazy, but with everything else that's happened over the last year, this is kind of tame," Jack shrugged, "This is just weird."  
  
"You said they flew? What were they? Witches?" Lucy questioned.  
  
"I don't think so. Before they showed up, these teenagers were going nuts and trying to vandalize the mall. These two women just showed up and started cleaning house," Jack explained.  
  
"These two women," Lucy began, "How did they show up?"  
  
"They flew in. I know that sounds crazy, but I swear it really happened," Jack said firmly.  
  
"I believe you," Lucy nodded before she looked to Alison, "I do. After all, it figures that there would have to be enough good out there somewhere to balance out all the evil in this town."  
  
"You mean Rebecca," Alison said with a sigh.  
  
"I can't help it, Alison. After she came out of the portrait earlier and refused to even give us a clue about Kevin," Lucy dropped her shoulders in defeat, "I can't believe that she's got only good intentions at heart."  
  
"Wait, Rebecca came out of the portrait?" Jack asked as he looked between them, "What did she say?"  
  
"She said that Kevin was safe, but that's all she budged on," Lucy replied, "I don't think she wants us to find, Doc. I don't think she wants him to be found at all."  
  
"Why wouldn't she want him to be found? What would she hope to gain by that? The shop is already closed because of all of this," Jack reasoned.  
  
"I know," Lucy frowned, "And that makes all of this even more confusing than it was before."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Rebecca smiled as she looked over the form of the man upon her bed. She wanted him more than anything she had ever wanted before. Here he was, hers for the taking. All she had to do was convince him that he was exactly where he was meant to be.  
  
She lifted her fingers to her hair, allowing the long red strands to dance about her face freely. She shook her head lightly, causing all her curls to flow over her shoulders. She approached the bed slowly, sitting beside him as he slept and caressing his body with her eyes.  
  
His breathing was slow and even as he slept peacefully amongst her lightly scented sheets. He looked ruffled, his hair askew over his forehead, his normally immaculate dress rumpled from the length of his slumber. She had decided early on to keep him asleep until she knew just how to approach him. Now, she knew exactly where to begin, and how she would make sure that he stayed in her life forever.  
  
Rebecca eased her fingers over his forehead, gently rousing him from his sleep. As his eyes slowly focused upon her, she smiled, "Have a nice nap?"  
  
Kevin sat up quickly, feeling his head spin with the suddenness of his movement. He glanced to his captor and lifted his hand to his head. He closed his eyes as he tried to understand what events had led him here.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked as she placed her hand gently upon his shoulder, "Kevin, dear, what's wrong?"  
  
"What." He paused and looked around at his surroundings. The bedroom's lavish design was indicative of the time period Rebecca's portrait portrayed, but the room wasn't reminiscent of Port Charles but of more regal surroundings. A canopy covered the bed with plush white drapes cascading to the floor. Candles were placed upon sconces around the room as well as in various tiers throughout the room.  
  
Kevin looked to Rebecca and questioned her with wide eyes, "Where am I?"  
  
"You're in our bedroom, love," Rebecca smiled as she placed her fingertip over his lips, "Shhh, it's okay. You've been through a harrowing ordeal, and I really think you should just take it easy for a few moments."  
  
"Our bedroom," Kevin repeated her answer, "I don't understand."  
  
"Shhh, it's okay. You're obviously confused and understandably so."  
  
"What do you mean understandably so? What's happened? How did I get here?"  
  
"Kevin, you were struck in the head a few weeks ago. You've been unconscious for weeks. We were afraid you would never regain consciousness."  
  
"I don't understand. Where's Lucy?"  
  
"Lucy?" Rebecca questioned, "Who's Lucy?"  
  
"Lucy. She's my wife."  
  
"Wife? Kevin, you're just confused."  
  
"I am not confused. Lucy is my wife, and I have a family I have to get to," Kevin said quickly as he attempted to get out of bed.  
  
"Kevin," Rebecca urged him back to the bed, "You're wrong. We only have each other."  
  
"What? What are you talking about?"  
  
"Kevin, I'm your wife. I don't know any Lucy, but I do know you. You're so confused," She touched his cheek.  
  
"I am not confused. This is not right," Kevin shook his head.  
  
"Love," Rebecca caressed his cheek and met his eyes, "Just relax. I'll help you figure everything out," She slipped onto the bed beside him and wrapped her arms around him, "We'll figure everything out together," She smiled as she thought of how her plan would work out. It would only take a little time.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Livvie woke slowly, terrified to move that she might trigger the pain that had radiated throughout her body before. She never wanted to feel that magnitude of pain again, never wanted to feel the horror of what fire could do. She kept her eyes closed, afraid that opening them might somehow remind her that she had been burned.  
  
"Livvie, it's okay," A soft male voice soothed her, "You shouldn't have anymore pain now."  
  
She slowly opened her eyes and looked up into unfamiliar eyes, "Who are you?"  
  
"I'm the man who just saved your life," He smiled at her. He touched her cheek gently before he extended his hand towards her, "Come on. I won't hurt you."  
  
"I.I don't understand," She spoke with her voice trembling, "What happened to me?"  
  
"You were in the fire. Do you remember?"  
  
She nodded, "I remember the pain."  
  
"Good. Don't ever forget it, and don't ever forget the reason for it."  
  
"Alison," Livvie said with disgust, her anger mounting, "I don't know how, but I'm going to make her pay for this."  
  
"That's my girl," He smiled as he escorted her into another room where several clothing selections lay upon a bed, "Get dressed and then you can join us downstairs. We have so much to discuss, and I just know that you're going to fit in perfectly around here."  
  
"Wait," She said quickly as she turned to him, watching him as he turned back to face her, "Where exactly is here?"  
  
"We'll discuss all of that in due course," He flashed her another smile before he left the room.  
  
Livvie glanced around the room and wrapped her arms around herself, wondering where she was and just how exactly she had managed to find herself here.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chris walked into his apartment and sighed. He would finally have his night of peace since Doree was on a nightshift. He'd never been so happy to come home to an empty house in all his life.  
  
He couldn't remember the last time he had come home to complete silence in his home. Shortly after Julie had left, silence had virtually cut through him when he returned to their home alone. Now he wanted nothing more than to relish the beautiful sounds of silence.  
  
He tossed his jacket over a seat before slipping the knot from his tie and tossing the cloth ahead. He rubbed his neck gently as he walked across the room. He opened the door to the balcony and stepped outside, inhaling a deep breath as a cool spring breeze swept over him. He leaned against the railing and closed his eyes, relishing the cool spring air. He exhaled slowly, trying to purge all the stress of his day.  
  
"Oh Julie," He mused to himself, "I've never realized just how much I've missed you until right now."  
  
Another moment passed before he smiled, feeling a warm presence around him. He could almost feel her arms wrapped around his waist as she pressed her body against his back and rested her cheek against his shoulder. He smiled as he thought of her, "I can almost feel you here with me now. You'll never know just how good that really feels to me."  
  
Chris opened his tired eyes and gazed out over the city. He allowed himself a moment more to reflect before he made his way back inside the apartment. Once he had closed the door another gentle breeze swept across the balcony.  
  
"I do know, Chris, and I am here with you..every single day."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Karen stepped into her apartment and sighed. She closed and locked the door behind her, switching on the lights and taking a good look around her apartment. She didn't want another surprise like the one Frank had given her last night. She sank onto the sofa and stretched her tired and aching muscles. She wasn't sleeping, didn't know that she ever would again.  
  
She closed her eyes and lay back, relaxing into the soft cushions as she attempted to quell the feeling of anxiety lurking within her. After the way Frank had behaved, she wasn't sure that she would ever feel comfortable in her own skin again.  
  
Karen opened her eyes and slowly surveyed the room, suddenly feeling as if the walls were closing in on her. She pulled herself from the sofa and made her way onto the patio, hoping that she would be able to catch her breath. She took a deep breath, drawing the cool spring air into her lungs and feeling the tensions melt away.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
Karen looked around for the source of the voice. She searched the shadows for a moment before she saw the blue eyes peering out at her. She took a step back as she began to feel her anxiety returning.  
  
"You don't have to be afraid. I mean you no harm," He said as he emerged from the shadows.  
  
She recognized the man from the night before. He had appeared just in time to save her and then disappeared with the same speed. She still couldn't shake the feeling that he was familiar.that she had met him somewhere before.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked softly as she watched him move with catlike grace across the patio, his clothing dark and mysterious, his eyes covered by the same spotted mask he had worn before.  
  
"I'm a friend," He offered her a smile as he turned in the light, allowing her a brief glimpse of his features before his profile was once again emerged in shadow, "So tell me. Are you okay?"  
  
"I've been better," She replied as she wrapped her arms around herself, "Do you always happen to arrive in the nick of time to save people in need?"  
  
"Not always," He said softly and Karen noted the twinge of sadness echoing within his voice.  
  
"I want to thank you for helping me last night. You don't know how much I appreciate it," She said, feeling now as if she were at a loss for words, "I..I guess..I mean I suppose..I owe you one."  
  
"Not at all," He said as his voice was behind her now, alerting her to his nearness behind her. She stood perfectly still, wondering who the man was and why he had come to her rescue. He lightly touched her shoulder, "I think we're even."  
  
"Even? But you saved my life. How can I ever repay that?"  
  
"Perhaps you're not the one with the debt to pay. Maybe I am," He said softly as he withdrew his fingers from her shoulder.  
  
Karen felt a sudden chill at the loss of contact and slowly turned, "Can I at least have your name?"  
  
He studied her features closely for a moment before he met her eyes, "I'm the Jaguar.that's all I can tell you."  
  
"All you can tell me? Or all you're willing to tell me?" She asked with a slight smile.  
  
He grinned slightly, "You're a very intelligent woman. I'll have to watch my step around you."  
  
"Does that mean I'll see you again?" She asked, hoping that she might be able to uncover some answers about the man before her.  
  
He took a step back into the shadows and disappeared before her eyes. With the whisper of the wind, his voice called out to her, "Perhaps we will see one another again.when you least expect it."  
  
Karen looked around for him, hoping to find the source of his voice or maybe where he had disappeared to. She felt a certain peace within her heart and knew that she could now get through the night on her own.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Alison stood on the balcony of the lighthouse and rubbed her stiff neck. Jack extended his fingers to gently massage her tight muscles as she closed her eyes and relaxed into his touch.  
  
"That feels so good," She sighed softly.  
  
"I'm glad I haven't lost my touch," Jack smiled, "You're really taking this hard about Rebecca and Kevin, aren't you?"  
  
"I wanted to believe in her, Jack," Alison exhaled as she turned to face him, "I wanted to believe that she was the woman I grew up trusting. I wanted to believe that she was the one person in my family that I could trust and believe in," She paused, "But with the way she acted about Kevin, I don't think she can be trusted at all. She acted like she didn't want Kevin to come back."  
  
"We don't have all the answers here, Ali. Maybe she just didn't understand," Jack tried to reason, hoping he could find a way to help his friend.  
  
"She understood all right," She frowned as she looked back out to the lake, "There was something in her eyes, Jack. It was something I've never seen before, but it was definitely not good."  
  
"Hey," He spoke as he placed his hands upon her shoulders once more and gave a comforting squeeze, "We'll find a way to get Kevin back, and we'll find a way to make all of this turn around. We're not going to let you go to prison, Alison. I promise you."  
  
Alison nodded as she gave her friend a hopeful smile, knowing that Rebecca held the key to all her troubles.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Livvie slipped into a red and burgundy dress before descending the stair case. She made her way into a grand parlor. She glanced around the room, taking in the fine art, delicate furnishings and brilliant lighting throughout. She saw the face of her host and raised an eyebrow, "Where am I and who are you?"  
  
"Always gets right to the point, doesn't she?" The man laughed softly as he looked to his cohort.  
  
"Rafe?" Livvie gasped as she looked to the man's cohort.  
  
"That's right," Rafe smiled as he approached her with a smile, "Welcome to the family."  
  
"What is this?" She asked as she glanced around, "I don't understand," She paused, "And who are you?"  
  
The man stepped forward and lifted her hand to his lips. After kissing her hand gently, he smiled, "I'm known to most as the Prince of Darkness, but you can call me Greg." 


	4. Chapter Four

Chris slowly crossed the living room of his apartment, looking forward to a new day. While he still had to find a way to avoid Doree, it was a new day. After the peaceful night he had enjoyed on his own, he knew that today would be a good day.  
  
The knock on the door interrupted his approach to the kitchen. He sighed before he turned and walked to the door. Upon opening the door, he immediately wished he hadn't.  
  
"Good morning lover," Doree smiled as she quickly threw her arms around him and sealed her lips to his.  
  
Chris pried his body away from her and glanced in her direction, "Why are you here?"  
  
"I thought I'd come by and give you a proper wake up call," She smiled as she unbuttoned her shirt.  
  
"Doree, not today. I am not up for this."  
  
"You will be," She said with a smile as she slinked her way in his direction, "You just let me take care of everything."  
  
"Doree, I'm really not kidding," Chris stated firmly as he looked at her, unmoved by her state of undress, "I want you to leave."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere, lover," Doree smiled, unbuckling her belt and unfastening her pants.  
  
"Doree, don't make me call security because I am that serious," He took a step back to avoid her, "Get dressed and leave."  
  
"Chris, you know you want me. You can't deny me," She said confidently as she continued towards him.  
  
Chris swerved away from her touch and quickly crossed the room. He had known she wouldn't be easily deterred, but he hadn't imagined it would be this difficult. He took a deep breath and decided to play dirty, "Doree, get your clothes on and get out. I don't want you here. I don't want you," He declared adamantly, "It's over between us. You're too clingy, too needy, and I don't like you. There, I said it. Now go."  
  
Doree raised an eyebrow, plucking her handcuffs from her belt before dropping the belt along with her pants to the floor. She continued towards him with determination, "Don't make me get ugly, Chris."  
  
"Doree, will you get it through your head? I'm not interested. I don't want you. I don't want this relationship. It's not even a relationship. I'm not even sure what it is, but I don't want anymore of it. What I do want is for you to get dressed and get out of my apartment," He stated as he moved out of her way once more and attempted to evade her by crossing the room once more, "Now get your clothes on and get out!"  
  
"I'm not going anywhere, Chris," She said as she continued after him, pinning him between a chair and the wall. She smiled, "You're between a rock and a hard place, Chris. That's suppose to be my spot."  
  
"Doree, please. Come on. Don't make this turn ugly."  
  
"I'm not going to be denied, Chris. You're going to be with me, and I won't take no for an answer," She screeched jingling the handcuffs in her hand.  
  
"I'm not going to be with you in any way, fashion or form, Doree. You're going to have to take no for an answer," Chris said harshly before moving around the chair and moving towards the phone.  
  
Doree seized his arm in her hand and slapped a handcuff on one of his wrists, "You don't have a choice in the matter anymore, Chris. You're mine."  
  
"Have you completely lost your mind?" He asked incredulously as he tried to wrench himself away from her, "Look, I've tried the nice approach, but this is really going too far."  
  
"You should have just given yourself to me, Chris," Doree seethed as she tugged on the handcuff, "Because now I'm going to have to do something that I didn't want to do."  
  
"What are you doing, Doree?" He asked as she tugged him across the room.  
  
"If you won't be with me," She began, catching Chris in an awkward position so that she could capture his other hand in the handcuffs. Once he was secured, she met his eyes, "Then you won't be with anyone ever again."  
  
"Doree.wait.." Chris said, noting that her tone held danger.  
  
"No, no more waiting, Chris," Doree replied as she opened the door to the balcony, "I wanted to have a life with you. I wanted to give you everything, but you only wanted to use me. I can see that now. I won't let you use me."  
  
"Doree, I just want you to leave. That's all," He plead, trying to stop her as she pushed him through the doorway and onto the balcony.  
  
"Oh I'm going to leave Chris, but then again so are you," She smiled as she gave him a harsh shove across the balcony.  
  
Chris stumbled and caught the railing of the balcony in his midsection, robbing him of the air in his lungs. He struggled to draw in a breath while working to get away from Doree as she moved in for another attack.  
  
Doree approached Chris, her eyes dark and menacing. She started to thrust her hands forward as a powerful wind swept down from the heavens, throwing Doree off balance. She started forward once more before the wind blew against her, harsher than before, hurling her from her feet to slide across the balcony on her back.  
  
Chris slowly regained his breath, watching what had just happened before him. He tried to process how any thing or anyone could have intervened at a more appropriate time. Just as he was about to write off the incident as another Port Charles supernatural phenomenon, Doree stood and charged towards him.  
  
Just as quickly, a leather clad figure appeared before Chris, catching the force of Doree's attack and deflecting it easily. The leather clad woman fought with Doree briefly before subduing the cop and pushing her to the ground.  
  
Chris eyed the figure closely, trying to understand what had just happened before him. The woman quickly spun to face him, her auburn hair dancing in the wind. While she released his handcuffs, Chris found his breath catching in his throat as he studied her face though most of her features were hidden by a mask.  
  
He let out a slow breath and extended his hand to her, "You saved me."  
  
"It was my pleasure," She turned to lift the subdued police woman from the floor.  
  
"Wait," Chris took a step towards her, "I."  
  
"It's okay," She smiled.  
  
"Who are you?" He asked, "Or do I even have to ask?"  
  
She looked back to him, "I'm called Sapphire, but I think you know what to call me."  
  
Sapphire heaved Doree over her shoulder and lifted off into flight, disappearing into the skyline of the city.  
  
Chris watched the women fade into the city and he found himself speechless at the commotion that had just happened on his balcony. He placed his hands upon the railing and let out a slow breath, "That isn't possible." He paused, his mind reeling with the impossible event he had just witnessed, "Or is it? You couldn't be here."  
  
Chris took a deep breath, "Or could you? Am I going crazy? Or were you really here Julie?"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kevin circled the room, taking in all the aspects of the bedroom in which he had awakened. He looked at the painting upon the wall, noticing the way in which his likeness seemed to be so taken with Rebecca who stood beside him. Obviously they had posed in this stance to show everyone the depth of their love for one another.  
  
He turned and shook his head, "What about Lucy?"  
  
Lucy. He remembered her clearly. It hadn't been a dream. It couldn't have been. Every touch, every word, every gesture..they had all be real to him and more powerful than anything he had ever known.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Rebecca asked as she entered the room. She placed a small tray upon the bedside table and looked to him, "Kevin, is something the matter?"  
  
"I'm still very confused," He admitted as he neared her, "All my memories are of another time and another place. How could that be?"  
  
"Dreams are strange things, Kevin," She touched his arm, "I'm sure that with a little time you will remember everything about our life and our love. I'll help you remember."  
  
"I'm sure you will," He smiled, meeting her eyes, "You do seem very familiar to me. In fact, in my dream, my first love was a woman who looked just like you."  
  
She smiled, "I'm very glad that you didn't completely forget me in your dreams."  
  
Kevin smiled while Rebecca poured him a cup of tea, "What about children?"  
  
"What about them?" She asked as she looked up to meet his eyes, "Are you asking if we have any?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose I am," He nodded, having a seat in a nearby chair with his cup of tea.  
  
"We don't have any children yet, but we're still trying," She smiled, a sad look slowly falling over her features, "We had one daughter.she was stillborn."  
  
"I.I'm sorry," Kevin said mournfully, feeling a pain in his heart that he didn't even remember such a painful event in his married life.  
  
Rebecca walked to the window and opened the shutters, looking across the small garden outside. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself, "It was very difficult for the both of us."  
  
He placed his tea cup aside and made his way to stand behind her. He placed his hands upon her shoulders, easing his fingers down her arms, "Becca, I'm sorry."  
  
She turned to look into his eyes and gasped, a tear slipping down her cheek, "You.you called me, Becca. You haven't called me that in such a long time."  
  
Kevin gently caressed her cheek, "It felt right. This.this feels right."  
  
Rebecca smiled as she touched his cheek, drawing his lips to hers in a kiss. She was winning him over, and it would only be a matter of time before he became hers forever.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Karen sat on her patio, sipping a cup of herbal tea. She couldn't get past the feeling that she knew the Jaguar. He was familiar, and yet somehow he was so mysterious. She remembered what it was like to gaze into his sexy eyes, how safe and secure she felt when he was around.  
  
She looked to her cup of tea and sighed. Since Frank had taken his violent turn, she had lost her sense of security. Yet for some reason when the Jaguar stood near her, she felt safer than she had ever been in her life. And the strangest part was, she didn't even know who he was.  
  
"Who are you?" Karen asked as she looked up into the air, "Who are you? And why did you save me?"  
  
She stood and made her way back into her apartment, taking one last moment t look out at the sky, "I wish I knew who you were."  
  
She turned and walked inside to get ready for her day at work.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Livvie wrapped her arms around herself as she looked around the room. She still wasn't sure how she had gotten into this situation or even why she was here. She only remembered the pain and then the heat. She closed her eyes to force the memory away, looking up to the men as they sat at a long table before them.  
  
"Why am I here?" She asked looking to Greg and then to Rafe, "Am I dead?"  
  
"In a manner of speaking," Greg smiled as he sat back in his chair, "But you've been reborn, and your new life is going to be much better than your last."  
  
"My new life?" She questioned, "I don't understand."  
  
"You died, Livvie. Your body went poof in the flames," He said making motions with his hands to match his words, "You were nothing more but a puff of smoke and a pile of ashes, but I saw so much potential in you. I couldn't let all that go to waste in a pile of mulch. You," He pointed to her with a grin, "You have much bigger things ahead of you, and I intend to see that you reach your full potential."  
  
"What potential?" Livvie asked as she began to tremble. Tears filled her eyes, "If I'm dead...where is this?"  
  
"You're in Port Charles."  
  
"But you said I was dead," She said tearfully.  
  
"You are, so is he," Greg pointed to Rafe, "And so am I," He shrugged, "It doesn't make a big difference though. We're here, and we're better than ever."  
  
Rafe grinned as he walked over to Livvie and sat on the edge of the table, "Don't worry, Livvie. Everything's going to work out just fine."  
  
"But..you..you're an angel," She spoke with confusion.  
  
"Of course I am," Rafe smiled, "I'm a Dark Angel, but I'm still an angel."  
  
"Am I an angel?" Livvie asked as she looked between them.  
  
Greg burst into laughter, "Hardly. You were never that innocent. No, you have another fate in store for you."  
  
"No," She said as she became pale, "I'm in hell?"  
  
"Not yet. You see, we've been given a leave of absence from the pit. We're here to make sure the people of Port Charles never get to live happily ever after," Greg pointed out, "You are going to play a very big role in that."  
  
"What? I don't understand," She said as she looked up to Rafe.  
  
"Alison," Rafe said her name with a bit of disdain, "She was supposed to come back with me, but that angel Paige saved her. Well, now it's your turn, and you have more reason to want her dead than I do."  
  
"Alison," Livvie said acidly, "I want her to pay for what she's done. She killed my father, and she destroyed my relationship with Jack. She ruined my life!"  
  
"Well this is where you get to ruin hers," Greg smiled, "Are you ready to fulfill your destiny?"  
  
"What do I have to do?" Livvie asked, looking forward to getting her revenge and watching Alison pay.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ian sat with Danny in the living room of the Lighthouse, watching his son sleep peacefully. He had found no other leads in their search for Kevin, and it seemed that Lucy was beginning to lose hope as well. He didn't want her to lose hope. He didn't want to see her in the same kind of despair he had felt since Eve's death.  
  
Lucy stepped into the living room and watched Ian with Danny for a moment. She moved forward slowly and forced a tender smile, "He looks comfortable for the first time in a while."  
  
Ian looked up to his friend and smiled, "He does, doesn't he?" He looked back to his son, "Daniel has a way of making the world seem like a quiet place."  
  
"It kind of makes you want to go back in time and be little all over again, doesn't it?" She asked as she sat beside them, gently touching Danny's hair, "I wish I could feel as content as he does."  
  
"Lucy," He spoke up, hearing the pain and hopelessness in her voice, "We're going to find, Kevin. Somehow we will find him."  
  
"I'm not so sure anymore, Ian. I mean," She paused as she glanced to the portrait across the room, "I wonder if Rebecca wants us to find him. I don't think she does and to be honest, Ian, I don't feel as if Doc still wants to come back. I did once, but now..now it's as if I've truly lost him."  
  
"Lucy, I'm sorry," Ian said softly as he gathered her in his free arm, holding her to his side as she cried.  
  
Lucy lay her head upon Ian's chest and cried, knowing deep in her heart that she'd lost her husband and their dreams for the future.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Alison slipped the key into the lock at Lucy's house and walked inside with Jack following along behind her. She dropped some of her things into a chair before making a dive for the sofa and letting out a long overdue breath of relief, "Why does life have to be so difficult?"  
  
"I wish I knew," Jack said as he watched her for a moment, "Do you want me to hang out for a while?"  
  
"I'd like that, Jack," She said as she glanced up to him, "I don't know why, but I'm kind of afraid to be alone."  
  
"Okay," He smiled as he sat down in a empty chair, "I'll just hang out here for a little while."  
  
"Thank you, Jack," She smiled, "I appreciate you being here. It really means a lot to me."  
  
"Any time, Alison," He assured her before picking up a nearby magazine and flipping through the pages to pass some time.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Just take a deep breath," Greg whispered in Livvie's ear. He stood behind her and placed his hands upon her slim waist, "Concentrate on what it is you want to do, see it in your mind, watch every detail unfold in front of you."  
  
Livvie took a deep breath and focused on seeing flames dancing around Alison. She could see her former friend lying upon the sofa, relaxing into the cushions to get some rest. Livvie wasn't about to let that happen.  
  
Livvie opened her eyes, seeing Lucy's house in front of her. She focused on the house, seeing the walls and envisioning the beautiful wall of flames devouring them to the ground. She raised her hands towards the walls and they immediately burst into flames. Livvie smiled to herself as she had accomplished something with her newfound powers.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Jack leapt to his feet as the first flames rushed into the room. He moved quickly to Alison's side, "Ali..come on. Wake up. We've got to get out of here."  
  
"Jack.what's." Alison coughed as the building smoke choked her, "What happened?"  
  
"I don't know," He told her as he helped guide her below the smoke towards an exit. A wall of flames hurriedly raced across the floor before them.  
  
"Jack!" Alison screamed, "We're trapped."  
  
"No.." He shook his head, trying to keep the smoke from his eyes as he and Alison both continued to cough from the billowing smoke. He glanced across the room, seeing Lucy's large windows that had once provided the best view Port Charles had to offer. Jack thought quickly, grabbing a chair and throwing it into the window, sending shards of glass flying outward. He coughed violently before pointing towards the window.  
  
Alison moved quickly and leapt out the window, landing in a rose bush outside and feeling the thorns bite into her skin. She wailed in pain before crawling free of the thorny bush and looking back towards the house, "Jack! Jack! Come on! Hurry!" She screamed watching the house continue to be engulfed in flames, "Jack!"  
  
Alison watched the window, hoping to see Jack's form emerging at any moment, but he never appeared, "Jack..no...come on! You have to come out of there. Jack!"  
  
A moment later, Alison say a form fly through the window of the house, "What the.."  
  
Jack looked up from his location on the floor, barely able to breath as the form lifted him into her arms and quickly flew from the house through the broken window. Once outside, the form lowered him to the ground in front of Alison and waited until he began to cough freely.  
  
Alison moved to Jack's side and touched him as he inhaled fresh air into his lungs. She looked to the form that had rescued Jack and met her eyes, "Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Jade," She answered as she touched Jack's chest, "He should be fine. Help is on the way."  
  
Sirens began to sound in the distance as Jade stood and flew into the air. Alison gasped at the sight she had just witnessed, hardly believing it and not understand it at all. As the sirens grew closer, Alison held onto Jack and helped him sit up, thankful that they had both made it out okay with a little help from a mysterious hero named Jade. 


	5. Chapter Five

Chris and Lucy burst into the ER at the same time, both rushing to find out what had happened. They walked down the hall and into a room where Jack lay back on a gurney with an oxygen mask on.  
  
"Jack!" Lucy cried out, hurriedly rushing over to him and touching his cheek while Chris grabbed his chart.  
  
"Smoke inhalation, a little disorientation," Chris breathed a sigh of relief, "Looks like you were lucky, little brother."  
  
"It wasn't luck," Alison said from the doorway. She stepped inside the room, readjusting the fireman's blanket around her shoulders as she moved beside Jack. Her face was covered with dark splotches from the smoke while she pushed her unruly blond hair from her face, "We had help."  
  
"Alison, what happened?" Chris asked as he glanced between her and his brother.  
  
"The house caught on fire. I'm not sure how," Alison replied as she looked to Jack, "He helped me get out and then, the smoke must have gotten to him."  
  
"How did he get out?" Lucy asked as she studied Alison carefully.  
  
"You know how yesterday Jack said he saw those two women who beat up some punks at the mall and then flew away?" Alison reminded Lucy, "Well, one of them was there. She swooped in and pulled him out of the fire. She brought him outside and stayed with us for just a moment before she flew away."  
  
"Sapphire?" Chris asked quickly.  
  
"No, it was Jade," Alison replied.  
  
"Wait," Lucy turned to Chris, "You know about them?"  
  
"I only knew about Sapphire. I had no idea there was another one running around," Chris said as he looked to his brother.  
  
Jack pulled off his mask and glanced up, "I don't know who she is but I need to thank her."  
  
"Jack," Lucy said brightly as she smiled, "It's good to see that you're still with us."  
  
"I wouldn't have been if it hadn't been for her," Jack looked to Chris, "But you've seen the other one?"  
  
"Yeah, I had a run in with her," Chris remained vague, "She came to my aid this morning."  
  
"I guess that means we have two bonafide super heroes looking out for us, huh?" Lucy asked with a smile.  
  
"I guess so," Alison said with a distant look in her eyes.  
  
"Alison, what's wrong?" Lucy asked her friend, "Are you hurt or something?"  
  
"No," She shook her head, "It's just..Jade, there was something about the way she looked at me. It was very familiar..almost like I knew her or something."  
  
"I had the same feeling with Sapphire," Chris admitted.  
  
"I wonder what that's all about," Lucy said as she began to ponder who the super heroes roaming Port Charles could possibly be.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Karen stepped into the on-call room and sighed as she took off her stethoscope. She walked to the coffee pot and poured herself a steaming mug full of the caffeine fueled liquid. She walked over to the sofa and sat down, looking into the dark coffee and finding her thoughts drawn back to the Jaguar and how he had been there to rescue her.  
  
"Wow," Ian said as he stepped into the room, "You look like you're a million miles away."  
  
Karen snapped her eyes over to Ian, slightly startled by his presence, "I guess I was just spacing out for a minute."  
  
"So how are things?" Ian asked as he sat on the sofa beside her, "You look like you're feeling better."  
  
"I think I am," She admitted, "There have just been some strange things going on around here."  
  
"Tell me about it," He nodded, "I was just downstairs with Lucy. She came to check in on Jack and Alison."  
  
"They were lucky tonight, but it was Alison's story that really got my attention."  
  
"What about?"  
  
"About the woman swooping in to save Jack. It's a little weird, but I had a similar experience a few days ago."  
  
"Really?" Ian asked watching Karen carefully, "What happened?"  
  
"The night that Frank was arrested. This man came out of the shadows. He was quick and sleek and very powerful. He kept Frank at bay before checking on me. He made sure I was all right and then just as quickly as he appeared, he was gone."  
  
"Do you have any idea who he was?"  
  
"No," She admitted, twisting the coffee cup in her hand, "But there was something about the look in his eyes. It seemed so familiar."  
  
"Like you know him but couldn't recognize him?"  
  
"He was wearing a mask," She clarified, "But his voice did seem familiar. And I was safe with him. He didn't scare me in the least."  
  
"He spoke to you?" Ian asked.  
  
"Yeah, he did," Karen nodded, "He said to call him the Jaguar."  
  
"The Jaguar," He allowed a small grin, "Sounds very mysterious, doesn't it?"  
  
"Yeah it does," She agreed with a smile, "But it's one of those mysteries that intrigues me and for some reason, I would just really like to know more about this guy."  
  
"Be careful what you ask for," Ian warned, "With everything that's gone on in this town lately, we should all be very careful what we choose to ask for."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kevin stepped out onto the porch of the small home he shared with Rebecca and looked out over the lake. He saw the snow just beginning to thaw around the lake's edges while crystals of ice floated out into the lake. He closed his eyes, leaning against the pine banister and taking a deep breath. The chilly spring air bit into his lungs, but it reminded him that he was alive.  
  
While some of the things Rebecca said seemed familiar, he knew that there was another world out there that he had been a part of. It wasn't just a dream, and he would never be convinced that the world he had experienced didn't exist.  
  
He turned and slowly walked back inside the house, looking around before taking a seat near the fire. He watched the flames for a moment before he felt Rebecca's hand upon his shoulder. He looked up to her and smiled, "I thought you were preparing for bed."  
  
"I was, but you seemed so restless," Rebecca admitted, touching his cheek, "I'm sorry this is so difficult for you. I know you must be very confused, but I do love you and I only want for you to find your comfort here."  
  
"I know you do," Kevin said softly, gently patting her hand, "I just can't forget all the images of that other place. They were so real. The memories..they felt..still feel so very real."  
  
"Perhaps they were real," She shrugged gently as she sat beside him, "They say the ways of magic are rather mysterious. Perhaps that other place was a magical way of sparing you from the pain of your injuries."  
  
He shook his head, "I've never much believed in magic."  
  
"Ah ever the cynic," She smiled as she eased herself closer to him and placed her head upon his shoulder, "It's okay. I have enough belief for the both of us."  
  
Kevin slowly put his arm around her and held her close, wondering if magic had someone become a culprit in his life and turned it completely upside down.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Damn them," Greg slammed his fist onto the table, "That's it. No more free passes," He shouted as he pointed to Livvie and Rafe, "You two..I want you to go back into town and wreck havoc around every corner. I don't want them to be able to rest for fear that something might happen. They will not be able to keep us down, and I swear..I will not let the people of this town get their happily ever afters..if it's the very last thing I do!" He shouted before moving forcefully through the room, taking his followers with him.  
  
Rafe looked to Livvie with a smile, "Ready to play?"  
  
She tugged on the orange and red gloves before snapping her knuckles with a grin, "I was born ready. Let's go set this town on fire."  
  
Rafe grinned, "After you, Livvie."  
  
"No," She paused as she looked back to him and held up a finger, allowing a tiny flame to leap from her fingertip, "Call me Blaze."  
  
Rafe's smile grew, "As you wish."  
  
Livvie..Blaze turned and marched confidently from the room, ready to show Port Charles just what kind of power she really had.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chris stepped out on the roof and looked out at the city. Strange things were happening, but wasn't that the way things always seemed to be going lately? Strange things no longer seemed so strange and even the most common moments seemed few and far between. He would have given anything just to have another boring and peaceful day in the city. If there was ever such a thing in Port Charles. He could barely remember the times when the supernatural didn't affect their lives on a daily basis.  
  
He walked over to the edge of the roof and sat down upon the ledge. He closed his eyes and felt a brief breeze come upon him. He quickly opened his eyes and looked around to see if he had only dreamt of the presence near him.  
  
"I know you're here," Chris said as he looked around, "I felt you."  
  
Sapphire visualized in front of him as if emerging from a fog. She looked to him and broke a smile, "So you know."  
  
"What is it I know?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"That we're here. That we are here to protect this town."  
  
"That's a big job for two women," He pointed out.  
  
"We're not alone," Sapphire stepped around him and looked out into the city, "We're here to stop the coming terror."  
  
"Terror?" Chris asked as he looked to her, "What do you mean?"  
  
"There," Sapphire pointed out into the sky.  
  
Along the horizon, a bright orange glow appeared across the sky. Fingers of flame appeared to crawl out across the night sky, illuminating the night as if it were day. A moment later, a ball of fire charged towards the earth and exploded near the docks.  
  
"What is that?" Chris asked with wide eyes.  
  
"The Terror," Sapphire answered as she looked at him, "And it's only just beginning," She said before she lifted into flight towards the docks.  
  
"What in the hell have we gotten ourselves into now?" Chris asked himself before turning and going back into the hospital, ready to assist any wounded who would find their way to GH.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"What is going on?" Ian asked as he stood at the window of the on call room, seeing flames leaping from several buildings.  
  
"I don't know, but this can't be good," Karen said anxiously before she looked back to him, "We'd better get down to the ER. There's bound to be injuries from all of these fires."  
  
Ian nodded before accompanying Karen down to the ER.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lucy moved to the doorway of the ER, looking out into the night. Heavy smoke filled the air while people continually poured through the entrance. Chris moved quickly to a burn victim just as Karen and Ian stepped off the elevator to assist. Lucy stepped out into the night, seeing the flashing emergency lights and listening as the sirens wailed through the city streets. She crossed her arms and shivered as a chill washed over her.  
  
Suddenly the two female superheroes flew into view, landing near Lucy with bundles in their hands. Lucy moved forward quickly as she saw Christina's curls bouncing around her face, "Oh my god..what's happened?"  
  
"The Lighthouse is gone, I'm afraid," Sapphire spoke as she looked to Jade who held Danny.  
  
Lucy quickly gathered the children in her arms, "You saved them?"  
  
"Yes," Jade responded looking to the children for a moment before another blast rocked the city and caused Christina to yelp in her fear.  
  
"Now let's go take care of this," Sapphire said, flipping her hair from her shoulder before turning and spiriting off into the air. Jade quickly followed while Lucy stood holding the children and wondering just who they were and if they had power enough to stop the evil inhabiting Port Charles.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Alison and Jack made their way through the hospital corridors, trying to find any doctor to help. Among the walking wounded were teachers, lawyers, police officers, fire fighters, doctors, nurses, tourists and others as the emergency room continued to fill. Alison felt tears of sheer panic begin to build behind her eyes just before the doors to the ER burst open with a gust of wind.  
  
Alison and Jack rushed over to Lucy who tried to calm the children as they cried with fear. They all stared towards the doors as fire danced across the ambulance bay before two forms emerged from the flames. They walked into the ER confidently while faceless thugs appeared on either side of them.  
  
One form was decidedly female, dressed in what appeared to be flames but was actually cloth caressing her curvy form. Her face was hidden by a mask, but her dark hair blew wildly in the heated wind. Her companion was male, dressed in a leather duster complete with his own mask.  
  
"That's the guy I saw at the mall the other day," Jack said as he saw the man.  
  
"What do you want?" Ian asked bursting into the room, "Why are you here?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" The female asked with a smile, "For your information, Port Charles, I'm Blaze and this is Dark Angel...from here on out, you belong to us."  
  
"Like hell," Ian said firmly as he started forward.  
  
Dark Angel held up his hand. Without ever being touched, Ian flew across the room and slammed into a far wall of the emergency room.  
  
"Ian!" Lucy screamed, "What do you want from us?"  
  
Blaze smiled as she stepped towards Lucy, "Isn't it obvious? We want you to suffer."  
  
"Livvie?" Jack gasped as he listened to the tone of her voice, "Livvie, is that you?"  
  
She violently turned her eyes upon him, "The name is Blaze. Don't ever forget it," She warned as flames seemed to dance behind her eyes.  
  
"Oh my god," Alison gasped looking to Dark Angel, "Rafe? No..that's not possible. You're good. You're an angel. You can't be doing this."  
  
"Can't I?" Dark Angel asked as he stepped forward, "There's quite a bit you never learned about me. I was sent to fool the boss upstairs, and I did. He bought every word I said..lock, stock, and barrel." He smiled, "And now it's time I had some fun of my own." He started towards Alison before Jack stood in his way.  
  
"You'll have to go through me first," Jack warned as he stood tall, ready to defend his friend.  
  
"That's doable," Dark Angel smiled as he made a sweeping motion with his fingers, sending Jack sprawling backwards.  
  
A moment later, Sapphire and Jade appeared at the ER entrance as the Jaguar joined them.  
  
"You've done enough damage today," Jade said, standing tall as she focused on Dark Angel, "You're not going to hurt anyone else here."  
  
"You think you can stop me?" Dark Angel asked as he turned and looked at the heroic trio, "All three of you together can't stop me."  
  
The Jaguar allowed a grin to cross his features, "Now there's a wager I'm willing to take," He said as he quickly leapt forward, pouncing upon Dark Angel and pinning him to the floor.  
  
Blaze realized the numbers were against her and quickly flew out the doors, disappearing amidst the chaos thriving in Port Charles. Jade and Sapphire stepped forward as the Jaguar finished binding Dark Angel.  
  
Lucy handed Danny off to Ian as he regained his senses. Ian held his son protectively, looking over the small boy to make sure he was unharmed. Lucy did the same with Christina before squeezing her snuggly in her arms.  
  
"Who are you?" Jack asked as Alison helped him regain his balance.  
  
"We're the Triumvirate," Jade spoke, "I'm Jade, this is Sapphire, and he's the Jaguar. We're here to protect your city."  
  
"But why?" Ian asked as he held Danny close to him.  
  
"Because there are some things that you're just not prepared to deal with," Sapphire spoke up, "Tonight was only the beginning, but now they know that they can't get away with what they've done. That at least gives us a small advantage."  
  
"And with this one out of the way," The Jaguar said as he made sure his bindings were secure, "That makes the odds a little more in our favor."  
  
"How do we get in contact with you?" Alison asked, "What if we need you?"  
  
"Then we'll be there. Wherever there's danger, we'll be there to protect you," Sapphire said softly before the three left the hospital, taking their captive along with them.  
  
Lucy held onto Christina and let a few tears of her own flow freely, "I don't know what is going on, and to be honest, I'm not sure I want to this time. The universe is obviously out of control."  
  
Ian nodded, for once in complete agreement with Lucy and her assessment of the state of the universe. 


End file.
